1955 Austin A 55 vs. 1970 Riley 4
To start off, 1970 Riley 4 is newer by 15 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1955 Austin A 55. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1955 Austin A 55 would be higher. At 1,622 cc (4 cylinders), 1970 Riley 4 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1970 Riley 4 (67 HP @ 5000 RPM) has 16 more horse power than 1955 Austin A 55. (51 HP @ 4250 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1970 Riley 4 should accelerate faster than 1955 Austin A 55. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Riley 4 weights approximately 93 kg more than 1955 Austin A 55. So despite on having greater horse power, its additional weight may have an impact towards its acceleration in comparison.
Both vehicles are rear wheel drive (RWD) - it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, both vehicles do the job better than front wheel drive vehicles. With that said, do keep in mind that many other factors such as speed and the wear on your tires can also have significant impact on traction and control. Let's talk about torque, 1970 Riley 4 (120 Nm @ 2500 RPM) has 10 more torque (in Nm) than 1955 Austin A 55. (110 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1970 Riley 4 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1955 Austin A 55.
Compare all specifications:
| 1955 Austin A 55 | 1970 Riley 4 | |
| Make | Austin | Riley |
| Model | A 55 | 4 |
| Year Released | 1955 | 1970 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1489 cc | 1622 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 51 HP | 67 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4250 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Torque | 110 Nm | 120 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 2500 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1055 kg | 1148 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4250 mm | 4540 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1570 mm | 1620 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1570 mm | 1510 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2530 mm | 2530 mm |
